The Shakedown
by Xengo
Summary: Routine mission. Sadly, those rarely go as planned, don't they?
1. Chapter 1

So I had a thought.

Why not write a story where the Star Fox team, instead of going on some universe-saving adventure, goes on a routine mission and I show what that looks like? Kind of like a "day in the life" kind of situation. Plus, the idea of a mission done by just Fox and Krystal as a team is a fun idea. It's like a buddy cop movie, except...more romantic.

So here's part one of that idea. As always, read and review, and enjoy! God bless, be safe, and have a great Easter! And remember, I'm still looking for anybody that want's to be an editor.

* * *

The Shakedown, Part 1

The alarm did not do the job of waking up Fox this morning. Rather, he found that the on-board communications system for the ship did that for him. With its steady ringing noise, the comm system brought Fox back from the land of dreams and into the still dream-like reality of having the best vixen in the universe sleeping next to him. Still, sleep was a good thing and he would be lying if he thought he wasn't a little annoyed.

After a yawn, he took the time to answer the call. Reaching up and pressing the button for ship communications on the wall by his bed, Fox contacted ROB-64, the robot who had served as the Star Fox teams trusty mechanical helper droid for years.

"ROB? Who's trying to contact us?" Fox asked.

"Pepper Hare is contacting us from Corneria, sir."

With his ears perking up Fox smiled. Ah, an old friend.

"He has a job for the team, sir." ROB continued.

Now that was interesting. And important. After everyone had left the team, Fox had basically cut Star Fox off from all business. Not only was the idea of doing work all on his own impractical, considering the kinds of work that the team was known for doing, Fox hadn't had it in him to do anything productive during those dark days. It was horrifying what self-loathing could do to someone, if they fixated on it long enough. But, thankfully, those days were behind him now. Krystal was back, so that meant Star Fox was at least a two-person team at the moment. And two tails were better than one for this business.

"All right, tell him I'll be there in a minute."

Fox got out of bed carefully so as to not wake up Krystal, and walked over to his closet to change. In honor of finally having to the will to work again he put on his classic outfit; Green flight suit, khaki jacket, red scarf, and his white boots. Stepping out of his room he walked down the hallway towards the lift that would take him to the bridge. After the short ride, he stepped out of the lift into the bridge, nodded to ROB, and smiled as a holographic image of Peppy Hare appeared over the holo-deck.

Peppy hadn't aged that badly. His fur was becoming whiter, his ears were drooping, and the fur by his mouth had grown longer, but despite all this Fox could tell that Peppy still had a calm and calculated disposition about him. It came out in his voice, and in his eyes. As the former-pilot-turned-general smiled at him fondly, Fox also gathered that he still had that warmness and kindness that had made him like a surrogate father.

"Fox," Peppy began, "It's good to see you up. I hope I didn't wake you."

"You did, but it's no problem. Not when work is involved." Fox replied.

"Good to see you eager as well. I was hoping you hadn't gone lazy on me." Peppy joked.

"Ha! You know I'm ready for a bit of action most of the time. So, what do ya need me and Krystal for?"

Peppy raised an eyebrow. "You have Krystal on call as well?"

"Of course. We promised to look after each other. I'm not going to go back on that promise." Fox had dropped his smile in favor of a serious gaze.

But Peppy smiled again, as if in relief. "That's just what I wanted to hear. Now, on to what I need you to do. I will start by saying it won't evolve your Arwings, but it will involve combat. Still with me so far?"

While he was a little confused now, Fox nodded.

"Okay. Hold up, let me get an image on screen."

Peppy looked down for a moment, and Fox heard the sound of buttons being pressed. A moment later, the image of mug shot popped up right next to Peppy's face.

If there ever was such a thing called a standardized "look of a criminal," the figure in the mug shot definitely had it in spades. It was lupine woman, with hard blue eyes and brown fur and a nasty looking scar coming across her left eye. Her mouth was locked in a scowl. Not the most approachable looking lady in the universe.

"This is Regna Rodriguez, also known as 'Double R,' a relatively well known terrorist-bomber who has usually been hired for various criminal organizations, particularly dangerous anarchist ones," began Peppy, speaking professional. "Two months ago authorities finally caught up with her on Corneria, and she was imprisoned in a national penitentiary colony in orbit around Fichina. However, due to an explosive prison riot, she was able to escape amidst the chaos, stowing away on a provisions ship bound for Katina. She must have killed everyone on board, because the ship never made it to any Katinian port, according to records.

Until recently, her whereabouts were unknown. She must have hidden underground for a time. And now-"

"She's back," said a soft, pleasant voice that sent wonderful shivers down Fox's spine.

Turning around Fox beheld Krystal, donned in a t-shirt and sweats, walking toward him. She stood next to him, and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Fox blushed in response.

"Good morning," said she.

"The same to you," said Fox warmly, hugging her and kissing her in turn.

"And good morning to you as well, Peppy," Krystal added.

"It's good to see you, Krystal. And yes, you are right. About a week ago we received a tip from one the Cornerian Intellegence Beruau's insider agents in the criminal underworld. She's been spotted on Corneria, and I would like your help in apprehending her."

Fox thought for a moment. While he was glad that Peppy was offering them work, while it was true that Star Fox in the past had apprehended criminals, there was something bothering him.

"Why not have the CIB handle it? They have agents in place, don't they?" Fox asked.

Peppy nodded. "While that may be true, it is worth noting an interesting quality of Regna: she is notoriously paranoid. She is known to have a very small circle of associates she works with. Even more so now that she has been captured once. Believe me, if she so much as saw someone who looked like a spook, she'd run and start blowing more people up. Which is why we need you. Star Fox hasn't been active for the past few years, which means you have somewhat of an element of surprise to you and Krystal. And because of that..."

"...we are more likely to get the jump on her." Krystal finished.

"Exactly." Replied Peppy. "What's more, I'd like to think the both of you know how to mingle with the more seedier parts of Corneria better than most of the CIB's agents. Fox, you've gone undercover a few times yourself. And Krystal can certainly learn. On top of that, her telepathic capabilities are the kind of thing CIB agents dream about. She's perfect."

"This is true. Well, Peppy, I don't see why not," said Fox, nodding. He turned to Krystal. "You good?"

"A mission together again, at last," replied Krystal, smirking.

"Then you're stuck with the both of us, Peppy." Fox affirmed, turning back to Peppy and smiling.

"Excellent. Now, to tell you the intel we have now," began Peppy. "Our insider was able to pick up rumors that Regna would be appearing at Club Gallant in Corneria, one of the clubs in the rougher part of the city. She's meeting with a personal confidant of hers, a supplier of explosives. Apparently, she's so paranoid right now she won't have anyone meet with her wherever she is currently living, even if they are part of her inner circle. While it may be a rumor, it's the only thing we can act on, and I'd rather be there with the chance she could actually make an appearance. It's surprising enough that she could actually be making an experience."

Just then, the image of Regna was replaced with a map of Corneria, with a red blinking dot indicating what Fox guessed was the location of Club Gallant. Peppy continued, "Your mission is simple. Find Regna, and take her in. Preferably alive. However, we have not ruled out the possibility of an altercation. If you have to use deadly force, do it. But only if you absolutely must. You are going to need to blend in, so I do recommend disguises. Do you have any questions?"

"How seedy is this place? What are our chances of meeting resistance from other criminals in the area?" asked Krystal.

"Although Club Gallant is not the nicest place in Corneria, it isn't crawling with criminals," answered Peppy. "However, I would still recommend not letting your guard down completely. As a matter of fact, I would try to find a way to get Regna out of the club so you could take her down more easily. But above all else, please be careful. That goes for the both of you equally." Here Pepper gave them a stern and commanding look, the kind of look he gave when he was in charge of operations while he still was on the team.

Fox had missed that look, so it was nice to receive it again. And judging from the way Krystal smiled, she shared those feelings as well.

"Affirmative, Peppy." Fox replied.

"Good to hear. The CIB will provide you with a vehicle on the day of the operation."

"Isn't that unnecessary? I mean...I already have my own car." Said Fox, with an ear twitching in confusion.

"The CIB would rather you use something...less conspicuous, Fox." replied Peppy, raising an eyebrow.

"Did you just insult Monica, Peppy?"

"Monica" was Fox's own car, currently parked back at the old McCloud family home. His father had owned it before him, and it was beautiful in every sense of the word. A sleek old time sports car from what James had called "the glory days of the Cornerian auto industry," it was silver in color and badass in feel. A head turner in everyway, Fox loved it. And so did the rest of the team when they used to ride into town, where they would play music so loud and head bang so hard that Fox was impressed nobody had shattered an eardrum or broken a neck yet.

And of course, insulting Monica was an unwritten "blasphemy" joke among the team. You insult the car, you get the airlock. End of story.

"I actually think he did, Fox!" added Krystal, with mock surprise.

"And the jokes on you guys," chuckled Peppy, smirking. "You can't air lock me from my office, now can you? I get to live for a little while longer"

"Just watch your ass next time you're on board, Pepp." said Fox, smirking.

"Fox, you have no idea how much good it does me to see you happy again. Joking again. And I owe all of it to you, Krystal," said Peppy, giving Krystal a warm smile.

"And you have no idea how happy I am that we are together." Krystal replied, hugging Fox's right arm and causing the vulpine to blush.

"I think it's evident. Now, good luck you two. Be safe, and bag yourselves a criminal.'

And with that, the holo projector turned off, Peppy having ended the call.

"Well, Krys!" said Fox, "We're back in business. It feels good to say that."

"Indeed." she answered. Krystal looked thoughtful for a moment. "So, what's our next move? I would think we'd need to make it back to Corneria to get ourselves situated. We need disguises to blend in, correct?"

"Definitely. And we're going to need to go the whole nine yards with our looks. Not only clothes, but also our fur color. Especially yours. There aren't many blue vixens out there in the universe."

Krystal did not immediately respond. A distant look came across her eyes, and Fox immediately felt the urge to punch himself in the face. Hard. But instead, he held her tightly.

"I'm so sorry." Fox murmured into her neck.

Krystal hugged back, tightly. When she looked at him, she was smiling a sad smile, and there wasn't a trace of anger on her face.

"It's alright. It was just a slip up, and we all do that." she replied sincerely.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, Fox, please don't worry. You know you run yourself ragged when you worry too much."

Fox nodded, though still small traces of self-anger hung on his mind. Krystal must have noticed, because she didn't let him out of the embrace. She stroked his face, her eyes stern in a loving way.

"Fox," she said gently.

He shivered under he touch. She was the only one who could make him melt like this. Gradually, whatever drops of anger he still had in him evaporated away.

"Okay" he crooned, "I'm fine."

"Good," Krystal replied. She ruffled his head-fur. "Now, about those disguises...I'm guessing that the fur jobs will be temporary."

"Of course. Unless you want to change you color permanently, and I will fight you on that one, because blue is amazing." Fox replied, smirking.

"Oh really?" said Krystal.

"Yes, yes it is." Fox replied empathetically.

The ride back to Corneria took about three hours with the use of an orbital gate. During this time the two of them showered, and after went over the "game plan" for the operation.

The preparations would be simple. They would stop by the McCloud home to drop off some luggage, as Fox wanted to spend some time on the planet after the mission was over. Then they would use the day to get ready for the mission, buying clothes and dying their fur in order to become incognito. They were going to need to look rough enough to blend in, but not crazy enough as to draw unwanted attention. Falco had been a big fan of more "bad boy" kinds of fashion, and there had been many a shopping trip that Fox had tagged along with, so he knew roughly where to go.

Once those preparations were done, they would head back to Fox's house, rest up, and start up the mission the following night. They would pick up the vehicle the CIB would provide, roll on up into town, make it to Club Gallant, find Regna, and bag her. In theory, it seemed rather simple.

"But any simple plan is bound to be more complicated than it seems," Krystal had noted while they were en route.

"You're learning," Fox had noted mirthfully. Krystal had ribbed him for that one.

Once the three hours were up, the Great Fox II found itself above the green and blue marble that was Corneria, it's atmosphere dotted with clouds. Fox smiled. Even with all the places he had visited during his travels, Corneria had a special place in his heart.

It was home, after all.

"When was the last time you were home, Fox?" asked Krystal, as she joined him by the captain's chair in the bridge, staring at the planet through the window.

Fox frowned. "Since Falco left."

Krystal looked at him, shocked. "That long?"

Nodding, Fox spoke somberly. "I...wanted to disappear. Thought I needed to be alone. But of course, turning inward didn't do much for me in the way of good. So...yeah, it has been a while."

Krystal shook her head. "Thank goodness I found you," she muttered.

"Why?"

"Had I not, you might have destroyed yourself."

Fox could not deny that.

"But things are different now," said Fox, turning to her. "Now, I'm never alone."

"Flatterer," replied Krystal, batting her eyes. Fox's face heated up.

"Space craft, please identify yourself." came a voice on the comm system. It was somebody from the Corneria City Space Port.

"This is the Great Fox II, requesting permission to dock," replied Fox professionally.

After a moment of silence the voice replied. "Good to hear from you, Great Fox II. You have permission to dock.

"It's nice to know they'll be happy to see you." Krystal remarked.

Yes. Yes it was.

The docking procedures went off without a hitch, and after leaving the ship with enough supplies to tide them over for stay, Fox and Krystal boarded a shuttle that would take them to the McCloud home. The drive wouldn't be that long, even though the house was located in the more rural area outside of Corneria City. In twenty minutes, the two of them reached their destination.

The home was built of wood, colored white with a black roof, an older style that James and Vixy had appreciated; Fox, of course, grew to love it too. The material only enhanced the homely atmosphere of the building. The home was two stories; rectangular, it sat amidst the rolling green plains that Corneria's urban sprawl hadn't touched. Thankfully would never touch, considering environmental policy.

When looking at the house, one would think that it was odd that the McClouds would have needed a place of this size, considering they had been only a family of three. In truth James had opted to buy a nice sized home in case any of the wing mates on the original Star Fox team, Peppy and Pigma, needed a place to stay. Of course, Fox could remember the home became much lonelier once his mom was killed. And it was horrifying to think that Pigma might have actually slept in the house at some point in his wretched existence.

Even still...home was home.

"Nice being back here?" asked Krystal, once the shuttle had pulled away.

"Yeah. As much as the Great Fox acts as a home, this place...is another home to me. And of course it's a home for you as well." Fox answered sincerely, still looking the place over.

Out of the corner of his eye he could see her blush. She responded. "It's good the cleaning personal you hired do a good job of keeping the place tidy. I find this home to be very quaint, and relaxing."

"Same. 'There's no place like home' and all that, huh?"

"Indeed. And of course," Krystal continued easily, "It's seems like the perfect place to settle down after the honeymoon, wouldn't you say?"

"Exactly. It's certainly going to be a nice and comfy-"

And in the very next second his brain actually caught up with the universe around him.

Krystal was in front of him, having stopped walking towards the door with her bag, and was staring back at him with an adoring and teasing look. She batted her eyelashes at him, and Fox felt every bone in his body turn to jelly.

There was silence.

"...damn it, Tricky." Fox grumbled, feeling his face catch on fire with a blush as he stomped up to the door, Krystal nearly doubling over with laughter. The laughter actually served as consolation to Fox, as her laugh was always a wondrous stream of beautiful bells.

"I'm never going to get tired of that." Krystal said smugly, once Fox had unlocked the door.

"I know I already have." Fox muttered, still blushing as he walked into the house.

The room they saw first was the living room, with two dark green couches and a nice television contained within. The kitchen was next to the room, and Fox remembered fond memories of making breakfast while Slippy, Falco, and Peppy chilled out and watched some TV. These two rooms were simple in their furnishings, with a fridge, oven, and stove in the kitchen. But that had been enough for the McCloud family, as James had been more comfortable saving money rather than spending it. Fox was incredibly grateful for that, since it meant the team had some auxiliary funds on top of what they earned.

Fox dropped his bag on one of the living room couches, and sat down next to it, taking a moment to relax and soak up the atmosphere of his childhood home.

Krystal, having dropped her bag off on the kitchen counter, sat down next to him. She wrapped her tail around his waist, and Fox timidly did the same to hers. She laid her head on his shoulder, and Fox felt her warmth spread throughout his body. Like always it was intoxicating. Absolutely wonderful.

"So where will we be heading to grab supplies for our disguises?" she asked.

"Downtown. I know of some places. And fur dying parlors are common in that area as well, so we can knock out two birds with one stone." Fox replied.

"Anyways, now that we've dropped off our stuff, I'd say it's time when strolled on into town. Unless you're fine with being out late."

"No, now is a good time. I need a good night's sleep for tomorrow," replied Krystal

Fox saw her start to walk over to the door, but he stayed still to watch her closely. A small smile dawned onto his face.

Krystal noticed. "You look happy," she noted pleasantly.

Fox rubbed the back of his neck. "It's just...It's just I'm glad you are here in my home. That...you are with me again. It just feels so great." He looked up at her, flashing an awkward but loving smile.

Krystal's gave him a warm and loving look, and walked over to him and rubbed behind his right ear.

"I'm glad I'm here too," she said quietly, meaningfully. Fox sighed in pleasure, feeling her fingers caress his fur. When she giggled he sighed again, just happy being blessed enough to hear her incredible laughter.

He felt whole.


	2. Chapter 2

Sorry it took so long to get this chapter out. Finals and final papers suck. A lot.

As always, read and enjoy. Remember, if you have any criticisms, let me know. In particular, how is my writing style? I've had people tell me I'm organized, but I want multiple opinions. Do you like? Hate it? If so, please tell me!

God bless, and have a great day.

And still, if anyone want's to help with editing, give me a notice! Your services will be incredibly appreciated.

* * *

The Shakedown, Part 2

Corneria City was, on the whole, a massive metropolis. It was exceedingly easy to get lost in, and definitely not lacking when it came to shops and restaurants of all kinds. Looking for a building in particular could take an uneducated tourist over an hour, even with a GPS system. It was no wonder that every tourist brochure ever produced to entice people to visit the city always had one particular rule boldfaced at the top of every "things to do while you are here" page:

1.) Familiarize yourself with the map.

But to an individual who was born and raised on the planet, and had spent many a day in the midst of the concrete jungle, the maze has easy to navigate. Fox chalked that up to all the times he, Falco, and Slippy had simply wondered around town and talked once classes at the flight academy had been let out for the day. Though the country appealed to him, obviously because he had been raised in it partially, urban areas did not scare him in the least.

"What's the name of the clothing store?" asked Krystal, as they carefully navigated through traffic with the car the CIB had provided. It was a simple coup, nothing special. Fox yearned for his baby Monica as soon as he sat in it.

"Rough Housers. Shouldn't be too hard to find, I know right where it is." he answered nonchalantly, keeping his eyes on the road.

"With a name like that, it must be a magnet for people like Falco."

"Oh, you bet. This place was his jam, as he called it. I don't think he did much shopping anywhere else, to be honest."

"And what about you?" Krystal asked, looking at him with a curious look.

"Honestly? I never gave too much mind to brands. If it looks good and fits good, I buy it.

"Why am I not surprised?" she chuckled.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Fox, I had always pegged you as someone who had pretty easy tastes. In other words, I find you exceptionally pragmatic."

"Is that a compliment?"

"Hmm. You know what you like, and are easy to please."

"And what about you?"

Krystal placed a finget to her chin. "Well...I suppose I would be the same. Having been raised in a totally different culture, fashion here never had a chance to become important to me. If I like it, I buy it. Same as you."

"That's nice." Fox replied, smiling at her.

"Yes. It will make living together after the trip to Sauria so much easier, don't you think?"

Silence reigned in the car for a total of a minute. Fox's face became the perfect picture of deadpan, and a wide grin slowly found it's way onto Krystal's mouth.

"I will pull this car over right now." Fox said, monotone.

Krystal laughed, holding a hand up to her mouth. After a moment she calmed herself. "Oh, Fox! You're learning!"

"Seriously, I will be killing Tricky if this continues. Don't think I won't"

"Oh ha ha." Krystal replied, still smiling. "You can't deny it Fox, that was a very memorable moment for the both of us."

Fox sighed, as the memory of that day blossomed in his mind. He and Krystal riding on Tricky's back after the Aperoids had been repelled. The three of them talking. Tricky joking about their honeymoon. Fox letting it slip that that was a thing he wanted to happen. During their separation that memory had carried a heinously painful edge to it. Mocking him for what could have been, that memory had always made him tear up every time he recalled it. Now, it was an incredibly intimate memory for him. One particular night, he had dreamed about that moment with Krystal sleeping next to him, and she had made the memory all the more lovely by having her "dream self" hug him after the slip up, cuddling up to him and nuzzling him while Tricky laughing his tail off.

He had really liked that dream. And he really liked the mental bond they now shared.

"Yeah..." he murmured, looking back at her, "Yeah it was."

They rode on in silence for a minute or two.

"Hey, Krystal?" he asked.

"Yes, Fox?" she responded.

"I love you." He said simply. The kind of simple tone used to state something that just was.

Krystal looked at him, and lovingly replied as she wrapped her tail around his arm. It was one of her tender ways of expressing her affection, something she had done before he had screwed up. And now she was doing it again, and the sensation of her fur on his was enough to make him shiver.

"I love you too, Fox."

It was the little moments that meant the world to them.

* * *

Krystal had to admit, from how the shop looked from the front, It was utterly unsurprising that Falco loved this place.

The sign was designed to be gritty, with the words "Rough Housers" engraved on metal and colored black. The effect was not lost to her: this is where the badasses shopped. And if there was one image that Falco loved to maintain, it was a badass one.

The manikins in the windows only confirmed her judgment further. Leather jackets, studded belts, combat boots, faded jeans...everything here was saying "bad boy" or "bad girl" as loud as they possibly could.

"Doesn't surprise you, doesn't it?" asked Fox

"Not at all"

When they walked through the front door the smell of leather immediately blasted their noses. All around them were assortments of clothing, many of them similar to what they had seen out front. Thankfully, they both had a rough idea of how they wanted to look, so the shopping shouldn't take long.

"Thank goodness there are changing rooms," she noted, looking to the left corner at the front side of the shop.

"Yup. This just became a whole lot less tedious."

Krystal had opted for an outfit that wouldn't be too elaborate. They weren't looking to attract attention, but they did need to blend in. She decided on some jeans, a black t-shirt with a fox skull on the front, black boots and a black leather jacket. She also opted for a choker, for good measure.

After a moment in the changing room, she was dressed. Looking herself over in the mirror, she smiled. She certainly looked enough like a street girl, enough to blend in. She understood that once her fur was died, the effect would be far more pronounced.

"Hey, Krystal! What do you think?"

Krystal walked out of her room and beheld Fox. She smiled.

Fox had gone a similar route. Brown leather jacket, white t-shirt, torn jeans, brown boots, and studded bracer around his left arm. Just like her, he looked enough like a hoodlum that no one would give him a second glance, and not enough like a totally wild child that people were going to stare at him all day.

"Cute." she replied, grinning.

Fox's face fell. "Cute? Come on, I was hoping for 'rough' or something!"

"Fox, I'd think you'd look cute in just about anything. Too straight-laced not too." she chirped in reply, not skipping a beat.

Fox blushed. Then he looked her over, and smiled.

"The t-shirt's a nice touch. And the chocker. You actually look more intimidating than me."

"Really? Well, I'd say this trip's been a success then!"

Fox rolled his eyes.

* * *

True to his word, fur-dying parlors were actually not far from Rough Housers. Especially convenient, because it meant saving a trip to the parking garage to get the car. Instead, the only complication now was which parlor to go too. Fox was of course not looking to be choosy, but at the same time he was hoping to find a place that wouldn't charge both kidneys for a full body job. He knew it was somewhat expensive normally, but he was hoping to find something of a deal.

"What about here?" asked Krystal, gesturing to a shop on their right as they walked along the side walk carrying their newly bought clothes.

Fox took a look. A first glance, the place looked...well, girly, for the lack of better word. Predominately the shop was colored pink and white, and through the open glass door he could hear the sounds of bouncy pop music. This place certainly felt "trendy."

He saw this place thankfully had a sign out front, showing the name of the place-"Danza's"-and the costs of services. A full body job would take a total of 70 Lylat Credits. Nothing cheap, as expected, but not as high as he had seen other places charge. And if the appearance of the shop was any indication-it looking not at all rundown-this place must have a steady enough flow of business. Which meant people liked to go here.

"…70 credits. Hmmm…well this place does look respectable enough. Let's give it a look." He shrugged and walked in, with Krystal following behind him.

Once again, Fox was reminded of the adage, "don't judge a book by its color." While the outside had looked "girly", the inside looked sleek. The interior of the shop was primarily colored black, with glossy black tile and walls painted a lighter shade of black. The shop was set up like most fur parlors; stations for those who wanted a simple headfur cut, and rooms in the back for body fur treatments. Some people liked to not only color their fur but also trim it in such a way that the fur had exotic designs. A common example was sport's fans not only dying their fur in team colors for the big game, but also getting the names of star players or team mascots or symbols trimmed onto their fur.

Fox could say he had done that before. He had cut loose every so often at the flight academy football games.

"Hello there! What can I-oh my goodness!" said the woman who had come up to help them, a young looking canine with grey fur.

Fox sighed. Well, it was going to happen sooner or later.

"Ma'm, I'm glad you are enthusiastic, it's just that the both of us...don't want make a scene with us being here." said Fox sheepishly. He could see Krystal nod.

"Oh! Oh, I'm sorry. It's just that...the two of you are back! And you're together!" the canine explained, looking embarrassed for a moment before flashing Fox a genuine look of happiness.

"Oh…yeah, we are." Fox replied, rubbing the back of his head and looking shy. In truth, he hadn't accounted for fans noticing that the two of them were an item again. Fox had been away from Corneria for so long that he had forgotten to take such things into account. And even though his relationship with Krystal now was less shy than before, he still couldn't help but look bashful whenever others commented about them.

"I'm so happy that's the case. You know, people here wondered what had happened to the both of you. My circle of friends...we really look up to you, Mrs. Krystal," said the young woman, looking shy herself.

She could see Krystal blush shyly out of the corner of his eye, but she nodded her head and replied, smiling a warm and earnest smile and her eyes reflecting nothing but the gentlest of looks. "I just do what I do, dear. And if I can inspire other's, than that's a bonus." Her tone was smooth and warm.

Goodness he loved that about her. How she could be that kind. Wait, what was he thinking.? He didn't just love one thing about her. He loved virtually everything about her.

Utterly, hopelessly in love.

"Mrs…Mrs. Krystal..." said the woman, stunned. Then she walked over to the blue vixen, and suddenly embraced her. Krystal looked stunned for a moment, until she returned the embrace, rubbing the young woman's back. They stayed like that for a moment, until they both pulled back and Krystal looked at her with something just like familial love.

"What's your name, dear?" Krystal asked.

"Laura. And my friends are gonna be so jealous." the canine replied, sporting a wry grin.

The three of them chuckled. Laura reluctantly separated herself from Krystal and stared at the two of them.

"I know my manager is going to kill me for this, but whatever you need, it's on the house."

"We can't accept that," replied Fox, shaking his head.

"Please, it's the least I can do for two of my heroes." Insisted Laura.

He looked at Krystal, who nodded.

"Alright," he said, grinning guiltily. "We would both like a full body treatment."

* * *

Red. That was the color he had chosen. He had even chosen to dye the white strip on his forehead as well, and it was clear that had pained him somewhat. As for herself, Krystal decided to be a little experimental and choose black. She found she liked it, though she wouldn't go as far to say she would be permanently dying her fur anytime soon. Blue would always be her color, just as chestnut blonde would always be his in her mind.

Now they found themselves cruising back to the McCloud home. They would put away their clothes for tomorrow's operation, and rest up. Thankfully there was food still at the house, and Fox was thinking of making a simple dinner for the two of them.

"Well, that went well." she noted.

"It did. Didn't even have to spend too much money, as guilty as that makes me feel." he replied.

"Don't feel that way, Fox. You know it would have broken Laura's heart if we had refused."

"You're right. It's just that...I do what I do because I want to help people, not because I want take advantage of people's generosity..."

She chuckled and shook her head slowly. Wasn't that just like him? If there was ever a person who could demonstrate that there was such a thing as too much selflessness, Fox was absolutely the man for the job.

She curled her tail around his arm, and she could feel him shiver in delight.

"Fox," she said seriously, "People want to let you know how much they appreciate what you do. Humility is an admirable trait, to be sure. But letting people show you how happy they are...I think that's just as an important part of being a hero as actually fighting."

Fox looked at her, stunned. Then he looked ahead and shook his head, smiling. She felt a wave of affection flow from him, and she shivered slightly in turn.

"Why do you always know what to say?" he murmured.

Her tail tightened affectionately

"Because I know you."

And wasn't that the truth?

Once they arrived home, they had the quiet and affectionate dinner Fox had wanted. And of course, they slept together again, only cuddling. Fox barely had nightmares anymore, but the two of them simply enjoyed each other's company too much to part at night.

And so they drifted off to sleep in each other's arms, and she prayed that they would both have a safe day tomorrow.

* * *

Weapons. That was the only question they had needed to solve in the morning. Thankfully it was also a relatively easy question; nothing but their blasters and shields. As much as Fox was hoping their wasn't going to be a gunfight, he would rather the both of them be armed and dangerous and have a descent amount of protection. Those shields-"bucklers" as Slippy had called them-had saved his ass in many a firefight.

Once that was finished, he and Krystal gathered in the living room, where Fox hadf hooked up a portable holo-communicator. He dialed Peppy's number, and waited.

Only after two rings did he answer, and Peppy took a moment to stare at the two of them with a confused look.

"How did you get this number?" He asked, annoyed.

"Peppy, don't tell me the fur dye is that concealing." he replied, smirking.

After a moment, Peppy's look transformed into one of recognition. "Ah! Fox, Krystal. Good to see you appear ready for today."

"If this dye can fool you, then I'm guessing our disguises are perfect, eh?"

"Don't push your luck, Fox," said Peppy, grinning, "These old eyes of mine aren't much compared to younger criminals. You might end up getting found out."

"Give yourself some more credit, Peppy. You are one of the sharpest people I know, and still are," said Krystal.

"You flatter me. And I would assume that the clothes you are both wearing add to the disguise as well. Very good. Do you need me to repeat any of the information you've heard before, or are you both just checking in to let me know you are ready?"

Actually there was one question on his mind. He didn't know if Peppy had an answer, but...

"Peppy, is Regna assumed to be showing up to the club alone? As in, is she bringing any bodyguards?"

Peppy hummed to himself. "From what we know, no. The tip we have doesn't bring us any info besides that she might be at this location. However...oh goodness, I must be really getting old." The old hare palmed his face.

"What?" he asked.

"There are records of at least one other person tagging along on Regna's bombing missions. A close friend, if you will." Peppy looked down, and Fox assumed he was typing in some information.

An image appeared next to Peppy's, another mugs hot. This one displayed a male feline, with white fur and hard eyes. Beneath the feline's image was a name.

Donovan Ricard.

"Mr. Ricard is this person. He's got quite the rap sheet. He labels himself as a mercenary, but he's really more of a straight up hit man and bodyguard. If you pay him enough, he'll stick around with you. What's more, he's been said to be good at what he does."

"He's Regna's muscle." Krystal said, crossing her arms and looking at the image intently.

"More than likely, yes. She must have paid him plenty, because he has been sighted accompanying her on missions multiple times."

"Why didn't you give us this info before?" he asked.

Peppy sighed. "Not only had I forgotten, which is incredibly frustrating and I'm quite sorry for that, but we had assumed that once Regna had been captured Donovan would separate himself from her for fear of being caught himself. If nothing else, it's not certain that you will encounter him tonight."

"We'd do well to be on guard though. Better safe than sorry." Krystal replied.

Fox nodded.

* * *

Night had come, and so had the ride into town. Krystal watched the lights of Corneria City lazily drift past the car door window, streaks of light to her unfocused eyes. People of all species walked about, laughing and talking and yelling and stumbling. It was a stew of life, of all facets of it. That was something she had always found fascinating about Corneria City.

"Have you ever been to the rougher part of town, Fox?" she asked.

"Back during my flight academy days, yes. Sometimes Falco and me would go clubbing. Slippy didn't have the courage too. We never went to the more...suspect places, though. Behavior like that would have gotten you kicked out. I wasn't about to lose my chance at being a pilot, and as much of a wild child Falco was, to him flying was also more important." he replied.

Krystal "hmmed" in reply.

"What about you?"

She twitched an ear in his direction. "Cerinia didn't have night life like this."

"Oh."

They drove on some time longer, until the arrived at the part of the city the clubs were located in. It was nicknamed the "Strobe District," named after the lights many of the clubs used. And true to its name, clubs were everywhere. Not only official ones with some kind charter for the property, but ones that could have sprung up that very night; this part of Corneria had plenty of abandoned buildings large enough to hold a crowd of gyrating bodies. It wasn't legal, but people didn't care. Those kinds of clubs were actually sought out by some people; they were the places you could get hard drugs to party with.

Fox had told her this so she knew what to expect. She might have been mad and thought that Fox was thinking she was "too fragile" for this part of town, if it weren't for the fact that she could read minds and see that Fox was sincere in his worry and wanting to make sure she was ready for the mission.

She could sense it in him. A deep-seated worry that she might leave again. Fox trusted her with everything he had, and so made sure as to never make the mistake of underestimating her or letting himself push her away again. He had largely been successful of course; he had clearly changed. Still, he worried that he could screw up again.

And it made her worry about him too.

"Fox?"

"Yes?"

"You don't have to worry, alright?"

Silence.

"...I know. It's just missions like these-"

"I'm not talking about the mission. I'm talking about how you worry about pushing me away again. I can still feel it in you, and you need to stop worrying. Everything you are doing is fine." she assured him, speaking softly and lovingly.

More silence.

"...yeah. It's just that, Krystal, you are really important to me. I messed up really badly, so I-"

"Darling."

She immediately grinned. The wave of surprise and pleasure that radiated off him as soon as she called him that was amazing.

"It's alright. Please." She wrapped her tail around his arm.

"Okay." he said, taking a deep breath. "Okay." He gave her tail a little pet. She looked at him and smiled, and he winked.

"...Falco would be gagging so hard right now." he muttered

She outright laughed at that. Yes, oh yes he would have been, if he was still the same featherbrain she knew and loved.

"So," he began, "Do you think Regna's going show up alone? I hope she does. Having this Donovan guy around would make things very complicated.

"Honestly? I don't mean to be the bearer of bad news here, but I think he will. A mercenary doesn't take repeated jobs from the same client over and over again without there being something...personal between the two of them. Either that, or Regna must have paid him good money. And even then, if I was a mercenary and my most lucrative client came back from jail, I would seek her out."

"Good point. Still, I'm holding out hope he doesn't. It's gonna make getting to her much harder. And I really don't want a firefight to break out. Too many innocent people."

"And in the instance it does, do you think we are well prepared?" she asked, worried.

Fox sighed. "Besides bringing our shields, which can only absorb so much fire, we could only bring small arms, which means our blaster pistols. Peppy urged it, in fact. In this part of town, everyone's going to be packing some kind of heat."

"And most likely small arms, because they need to conceal whatever weapon they have. Don't want to look inconspicuous."

"That's the thing. If Donovan show's up, he's gonna have something big. He's a bodyguard. It's his job to show up with a piece, big or small. He's not supposed to care what people think. And I figure he's going be bringing the heat here. With guarding Regna, the stakes are going to be high, so he's going bring the heat."

Krystal sighed. "Now I feel bad about thinking he'll show up. What was it you said, Fox? About how these missions don't seem to go according to plan?"

Fox shook his head. "For once, I'm actually starting to regret saying that. Sure, better safe then sorry, but... I'm really hoping that luck is on our side."

"We can do it, though."

Fox looked at her, and she nodded at him, her eyes deadest and determined. She smiled reassuringly, and tightened the grip her tail had on his arm.

Fox smirked, and winked at her.

"No one said this line of work is easy, but I've got the best partner in the system with me now."

She rolled her eyes, smiling. "Falco wouldn't be too happy to hear that."

"No. No he wouldn't."

For a few moments, a comfortable silence reigned, the both of them smiling in contentment.

"Krystal?"

"Yes?" she replied.

"It's good to have you back."

Her smile grew wider.

"I know."

And they rode in into the night, getting closer to Club Gallant.

"I'm happy to be back too."


End file.
